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Luzerne County is once again seeking applicants for a vacant election director position, with resumes due Nov. 20.

County Manager C. David Pedri had said he would reopen the job listing after the general election to see if more are interested.

The county had received nine resumes by the first Sept. 11 application deadline, and those applicants won’t have to reapply, the administration said.

Prior county election director Marisa Crispell resigned Sept. 6.

The election director will be a crucial management position in 2020 as the county enters a presidential election year, when turnout is higher. The county also must implement a new-paper trail voting system and launch a series of new state-approved election reforms for the April 2020 primary election.

Crispell had been paid $54,096. Posted on the human resources section at www.luzernecounty.org, the director position will pay $55,000 to $65,000 annually.

Election meeting

The county election board will meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Penn Place building, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

Board members plan to ratify past 2019 decisions to remedy a lack of property advertising of this year’s meetings — a failure blamed on a clerical error, officials have said.

Holiday

County government offices are closed Monday for Veterans Day, except for public safety operations such as the prison and 911.

Council meetings

A council committee is set to publicly interview citizen applicants for unpaid seats on county boards, authorities and commissions at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

A 6 p.m. council voting meeting and work session will follow.

Tax forgiveness

In addition to discussion about a proposed tax break for a new 55,000-square-foot leased Pennsylvania State Police Northeast Regional Headquarters in Hanover Township, the work session agenda includes a request from Newport Township to abate delinquent taxes on two adjoining parcels at 123-133 E. Main St.

The township plans to secure the deeds and demolish deteriorating structures on the properties that are unsafe and a public nuisance, the agenda said.

The properties carry a combined $5,060 in delinquent county taxes, and the township and Greater Nanticoke Area School have forgiven their additional delinquent taxes, it said.

Council would have to vote at a future meeting for the forgiveness to take effect. Photographs of the property are posted with the agenda at www.luzernecounty.org.

Magisterial lease

Also up for discussion is a lease renewal for the magisterial court housed at 11 Carverton Road in Kingston Township, a municipal building.

The lease expires the end of this year.

The township said the lease must be increased 1.75% over the next three years due to higher utility and maintenance expenses and office space upgrades. The new monthly rental: 2020, $2,455; 2021, $2,492; and 2022, $2,535.

Council also is set to discuss a proposed resolution opposing closure of the State Correctional Institution at Retreat, a state prison in Newport Township.

911 bid

As part of a communication upgrade, the county 911 department is seeking proposals for a digital microwave system.

County 911 Executive Director Fred Rosencrans said microwave dishes are used to connect the 911 center to remote towers throughout the county, eliminating the need for phone lines to each site. Proposals are due Dec. 18.

While bid out separately, the microwave system was included in the estimated $20.7 million price for a new emergency radio system project, Rosencrans said.

Council agreed to borrow $19.7 million for the 911 project, and the county also received a $1 million state grant.

The 911 system allows emergency responders to exchange messages throughout the 906-square-mile county. Switching from an analog to digital system will end radio interference, open up more radio channels and improve radio coverage that is inconsistent or nonexistent in some parts of the county, officials have said.

Luzerne County Courthouse
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/web1_courthouse.jpeg-2.jpg.optimal.jpgLuzerne County Courthouse

By Jennifer Learn-Andes

[email protected]

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.